ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. band — a music group
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bass — the fish
  9. suit — in cards
  10. charge — a price
  11. bass — low music
  12. stock — goods
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. spring — of water
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. charge — in control
  20. mine — for digging
  21. spring — the season
  22. band — a ring
  23. suit — clothes
  24. stock — shares

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com